2. If you’re applying for a service position, let your voice and chin “rise” at the end of each sentence so you seem more agreeable. If it’s a management position, use “the credible voice pattern,” one that has “a calm cadence, almost monotone, with the chin dipping down a bit.”

3. Sit up straight, and keep eye contact “consistent but not constant”—no need to creep anyone out with too much intensity. Where you look is important: Stay in the “professional zone,” from the bridge of the nose to the top of the forehead.

4. When you hear that familiar question, “Tell me about yourself,” be ready, and be ready with something good, writes Penelope Trunk of the CBS Interactive Business Network (bnet.com): “Tell the person what is important to you, [and] tell it to her in a story she can remember and relay to other people.”

5. Most job candidates end the interview with “Do you have any questions for me?” Trunk says to ask early on what the perfect candidate looks like. That way, you can tailor your answers accordingly. Before you leave, ask whether the interviewer has any reservations.